Apparatus for applying dye to yarn

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for applying dye to yarn. Yarn to which the dye is to be applied between a plurality of pairs of what may be called printing rollers to which dye is being supplied by respective supply rollers running in contact with one of the printing rollers in each pair. The printing rollers are patterned, i.e., they have portions which will apply dye to the yarn when the yarn is pinched between the rollers of a pair, and they have portions which will not apply dye, since they do not pinch the yarn. By supplying different colored dyes to the respective pairs of rollers, multicolored yarn can be produced. The yarn is treated in a special fixing means to fix the dye, and then is washed and dried in special washing and drying means. The fixing and drying means feed the yarn in a coiled path along a reel like means within a steam or dry air heated chamber in such a fashion that the shrinkage of the yarn is taken into account while the washing means feeds the yarn through washing baths over agitating reels which agitate the yarn transversely of its path through the baths.

United States Patent [191- Laing et a1.

[451 Apr.16,1974

[ APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DYE TO YARN [76] Inventors: Robert Laing; Evelyne Laing, both of 42 Wheelock Rd., Millbury, Mass. 01527 [22] Filed: June 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 264,063

[52] US. Cl 68/5 I), 68/l9.l, 68/20, 68/22 R, 68/202, 68/204 [51] Int. Cl. B050 1/08, D060 l/OO, B050 9/14 [58] Field of Search 68/5 D, 5 E, 202, 203, 68/204, 19.1, 20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,425 3/1910 .Minahan 68/202 3,561,235 2/1971 Crawford 68/204 Primary Examiner-William I. Price Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack FlXATlON SECTION [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus and method for applying dye to yarn. Yarn to which the dye is to be applied between a plurality of pairs of what may be called printing rollers to which dye is being supplied by respective supply rollers running in contact with one of the printing rollers in each pair. The printing rollers are patterned, i.e., they have portions which will apply dye to the yarn when the yarn is pinched between the rollers of a pair, and they have portions which will not apply dye, since they do not pinch the yarn. By supplying different colored dyes to the respective pairs of rollers, multicolored yarn can be produced. The yarn is treated in a special fixing means to fix the dye, and then is washed and dried in special washing and drying means. The fixing and drying means feed the yarn in a coiled path along a reel like means within a steam or dry air heated chamber in such a fashion that the shrinkage of the yarn is taken into account while the washing means feeds the yarn through washing baths over agitating reels which agitate the yarn transversely of its path through the baths.

18 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures Pmmenm 16 1914 13,803; 880 saw 1 or 7 FlXATION SECTION PRINTING SECTION mammal 6 I914 SHEET 2 OF T ZOFUwm Uzi/KO vrsm Oi ?ATENTEDAPR 16 1914 3803880 SHEEI 5 BF 7 PATENTEBAPR Is Ian 3; 803880 SHEET 7 IF 7 Fi .2. FIGJI II I II I" I I I7 I I I I I fl'II III I III IIIII' 5| I I; ;I I M I II I I; I, II I I II I I J {II Q I' I II II I H I I II I II II' II I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I II I I I I H II I J I I I II I, I' II I I/56Q I I .|1' I II N IJ I I I I I I I I II I I I II N I I II I] II I Y I II II I II I I I; I II I I II I I I I I} I I II II I I II I I I II N I' I I II I| III II H II [I H II II I II I I IL 52 I u I I] II I II :II I I N I I! II I II I l APPARATUS FOR APPLYING DYE TO YARN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of applying dye to yarn rapidly in desired quantities and patterns in a manner which lends itself to being carried out in a compact apparatus, and to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

A number of problems have confronted the art in applying dye to yarns. The early method of dying involved immersing a tow of yarn into a vat until the yarn had absorbed the desired amount of dye. Manifestly, this method is limited to dying the yarn in a tow in a uniform color. More recently, with the demand for multicolor yams, several methods of applying different colored dyes to a length of yarn have involved moving the yarn back and forth laterally of its direction of move ment under a plurality of containers of dye which are discharging a stream of dye. The yarn thus moves back and forth across and through streams of different color dyes.

These methods have proved cumbersome and often have not been fully effective to attain the desired result.

lem is the control of the amount of the dye applied to the yam,-and hence the indensity of the color of the dyed yarn. Further, none of the methods can be carried out at high yarn speeds. In the experience of the applicants, no solution has been found to either of these problems which can be said to be satisfactory from both the standpoint of a good product and ease and economy of production.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION,

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of applying dyeto yarn in which the amount of dye applied and the pattern in which it is applied can be easily and readily controlled, and to mapparatus for carrying out the method.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for applying dye to yarn in such a way that although the amount and pattern can be closely controlled, the pattern is not regularly repeated in such a way as to produce a patterned effect in a product made from the dyed yarn.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for applying dye to yarn as described above, in which the method is such that the apparatus for carrying out the method can be made in a compact and relatively inexpensive form, yet it will handle yarn at high yarn speeds, will be reliable in operation, and easy to maintain.

The method by which the foregoing objects are achievedcomprises passing the yarn to which the dye is to be applied between a plurality of pairs of what may be called printing rollers to which dye is being supplied by respective supply rollers running in contact with one of the printing rollers in each pair. The printing rollers are patterned, i.e., thay have portions which will apply dye to the yarn when the yarn is pinched between the rollers of a pair, and they have portions which will not apply dye, since they do not pinch the yarn. By supplying different colored dyes to the respective pairs of rollers, multicolored yarn can be produced. The yarn is treated in a special fixing means to fix the dye, and then is washed and dried in special washing and drying means. The fixing and drying means feed the yarn in a coiled path along a reel like means within a steam or dry air heated chamber in such a fashion that the shrinkage of the yarn is taken into account while the washing means feeds the yarn through washing baths in such a way that'the yarn is agitated in the baths without any special agitating means being provided. By arranging the various means for carrying out the dye application, the fixing, the washing and the drying in a certain relationship, the apparatus comprised of these means can be made compact, relatively simple and reliable in operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in greater detail in connection with the. accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A and 13 together form a schematic view of parts of the apparatus according to the invention arranged in sequence;

FIG. 2,is a plan view, partially cut away, of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a set of printing roller means forming part of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 shows enlarged sectional views of different forms of printing rollers which can be used in the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view taken on line 7-7 of FIG.

' 2 and showing the drive for the printing rollers;

FIG. 11 is anelevation of a section of a belt of the printing roller means of FIG. 8 with a pad clipped on;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on line l2l2 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 13 is a section taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The basic apparatus according to the invention has four parts as shown in FIGS. 1A and 113, a printing section 20, a fixation section 21, a washing section 22, and a drying section 23. The sections are shown schematically in FIGS. 1A and 13 arranged one after the other in a line. However, as will.be apparent from FIGS. 2-4, the sections are actually arranged in a compact arrangement with the yarn being guided so that it passes through the sections in'the order in which they are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B..The printing section 20 is preferably positioned on the right front of the apparatus and immediately behind it on the right rear of the apparatus is the fixation section 21. The washing section 22 is on the left front of the apparatus and the drying section 23 is immediately behind it on the left rear of the apparatus. Yarn Y is guided successively through the sections in the manner schematically shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and in the actual apparatus is fed into the printing section at the right front of the apparatus, and is guided over the top of the apparatus from the fixation section 21 at the right rear to the left front, where it is fed through the washing section 22. The finished yarn is removed from the drying section 23 at the right rear of the apparatus.

It should be understood that while the arrangement just described is the preferred arrangement, other arrangements are considered within the scope of the invention, so long as the yarn is fed through the sections in the sequence shown in FIGS. 1A and 13. For example, the printing section could be on the left front of the apparatus within the fixation section 21 just behind it, and the washing section 22 on the right rear and the drying section 23 on the right front. Other arrangements will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The printing section 21 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, 2 and 3 is comprised of a plurality of printing roller means 24, here shown as four, positioned in sequence along the path of the yarn Y one after the other, preferably in a straight line, drive means for the printing roller means, and dye supply means for each of the printing roller means. The printing roller means 24 are shown in detail in FIG. 5, and are constituted by a backing roller means 26, applicator roller 27, and supply roller 28. The backing roller means 26 and the applicator roller 27 are on opposite sides of the yarn path, and the supply roller 28 is in dye transfer relationship with the applicator roller 27. In the preferred embodiment shown, the three elements are one below the other in the order named, in order that the excess dye may fall freely from the applicator roller 27 and the supply roller 28. However other arrangements are possible; for example, the three elements can be positioned horizontally with the yarn path extending vertically between applicator roller 27 and backing roller means 26. The supply roller need not be on a line with the other two elements, but can be offset therefrom.

In the preferred embodiment, both the backing roller means 26 and the applicator roller 27 are rollers with lands 26a and 27a thereon and grooves 26b and 27b between the lands. The lands can have any desired circumferential dimension, as shown in the variations of FIGS. 6, depending on the pattern in which it is desired to apply the dye, and the rollers are rotationally positioned relative to each other so that the desired length of yarn Y is nipped between the opposing lands 26a and 270 during each rotation of the rollers. If all of the lands on both rollers have the same circumferential length, and they are directly opposed to corresponding lands on the opposing roller, the yarn will have dye applied along a nip length l equal to the circumferential.

dimension of the lands. If the lands are offset from each other in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. 5, the nip length I will be shorter than the circumferential dimension of the lands, because part of the land on one roller will be opposite part of a groove on the other roller. By varying the dimensions of the lands and grooves, such as by making them longer or shorter, or making them different lengths from each other on the same roller, or using a backing roller 26 having a different configuration of lands and grooves from those on the applicator roller 27, an almost infinite variety of patterns of nip lengths can be produced on the yarn byeach printing roller means. By properly adjusting the spacing of the printing roller means 24 from each other, the nip lengths dyed by the various printing roller means 24 vcan be spaced, placed adjacent each other, be overlapped, or even superimposed.

It will be clear from the foregoing that by using solid rollers for rollers 26 and 27, the yarn Y will be dyed a uniform color by each printing roller means, and any uniform color can be obtained by making all the dyes the same or using a combination of dyes.

The backing roller 26, the applicator roller 27 and the supply roller 28 of each printing roller means are mounted on conventional shaft and bearing means in housings 29 mounted on frame 30 at the right front of the apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The supply roller 28 is a patterned roller, preferably having a pattern 28a engraved thereon for holding a desired amount of dye. By using a roller with a shallower or deeper engraved pattern, a greater or lesser amount of dye can be supplied by the applicator roll 27. The supply roller 28 is mounted on a conventional shaft and bearing means in the housing 29 so that the periphery thereof is in rolling contact with the lands on the applicator roller 27, so that dye is transferred from the supply roller to the applicator roller during rotation of these rollers. The dye is supplied to the supply roller by a combined dye supply shoe and doctor 31 which is generally in the shape of a claw and has one end pivotally mounted on a shaft 32 in the housing 29, and has at the other end a doctor blade 33 which rests on and wipes along the supply roller 28 during rotation of the supply roller 28. Along the surface of the supply shoe and doctor blade 31 behind the doctor blade 33 is a curved surface 34 conforming generally to the surface of the supply roller 28. Opening into this curved surface 34 is a recess 36 into which extends a dye supply tube 35, the tube extending through the supply shoe and doctor blade 31 and out the back thereof to the dye supply means, to be described hereinafter.

In operation, dye is supplied through the tube 35, and it is picked up in the pattern on the supply roller 28. Excess is wiped off by the doctor blade 33. Dye is transferred to the lands of the applicator roller 27, and when the lands on the backing roller 26 oppose a portion or all of the lands on the applicator roller 27, a nip length of the yarn will have the dye applied thereto from the lands of the applicator roller.

The dye supply means comprises a tank 37 below each housing 29, the bottoms of the housings 29 being open to said tanks 37. The tanks are supported on part of the frame 30 of the apparatus. Within each tank 37 is a dye pickup sinker 38 from which a dye tube 39 extends to a dye pump 40. From a dye pump 40 a tube 41 extends to the dye supply tube 35 on the dye supply shoe and doctor 31. A supply of dye is placed in the tanks 37 and is pumped to the dye supply shoe and doctor 31 where it is picked up by the supply roller 28. Excess dye wiped off the supply roller 28 and thrown off during rotation of the supply roller 28 falls back into the tank 37 and is recirculated.

Since the rollers 26, 27 and 28 are rotating rapidly to feed the yarn at high speed, there is a certain amount of dye thrown ofi the rollers 27 and 28. Splash guards 42 are provided at appropriate positions to prevent this dye from reaching the yarn and other parts of the apparatus.

The drive means for the various rollers in the printing roller means 24 is positioned in the apparatus on the side of the printing roller means toward the center of the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the shafts on which a roller in the printing roller means 24 is mounted extends out of the respective housing 29 and has a pulley 43 mounted thereon. A printing roller drive motor 44 is adjustably mounted on the frame 30, forexample by bolts through elongated slots, and has a drive pulley 45 on the shaft thereof. In an embodiment in which it is desired to produce a random pattern on the yarn being dyed, a flat belt 46 is run from the drive pulley 45 around all of the pulleys 43 in a direction so that they are all driven in the appropriate directions as indicated by the 'arrows. An idler pulley 45 is provided at an appropriate position in order to maintain the belt 46 in contact with the pulleys 43. In the arrangement shown, the idler pulley is provided between the second and third backing roller pulleys 43 along the pulleys 43.

In order to insure the random application of the nip lengths of dye to the yarn, two structural features are provided. First of all, the pulleys 43 on one of the applicator rollers and the backing rollers is made slightly larger than the pulley on the other. For example, the pulleys 43 on the applicator rollers 27 are made slightly larger than the pulleys 43 on the backing rollers 26. Se-

condly, the belt 46 is a belt which is slightly resilient in the direction of its length. This arrangement combines to insure that the application of the dye by the printing roller means 24 does not repeat in a regularpattern. The resiliency of the belt 46 first of all causes some of thepairs of rollers to lag relative to other pairs. For instance, when one pair of rollers is nipping the yarn and another pair is not, the pair nipping the yarn will exert a load on the belt, causing it to stretch slightly between the loaded rollers and the unloaded rollers. This will cause these two pairs of rollers to get slightly out of synchronization when the belt-retums to its original shape. Secondly, by making one pulley larger than the other in each pair of rollers, when the rollers are nipping the yarn, the larger pulley will tend to drive the roller on which it is mounted slightly faster than the other roller. However, since the rollers are in nipping engagement, the second rollenis frictionally driven at the same speed as the firstroller without slippage, causing the belt engaged with the pulley ofthe second roller to stretch the belt engaged therewith between it and the preceding roller engaging the belt. With the nipping action of the rollers is ended, the belt will return to its initial form, and move the two rollers out of their earlier synchronization. In this manner, two opposed rollers will seldom if ever repeat the application of dye during any one rotation at the same intervals as in a preceding rotation,

I thereby producing random applications of dye to the yarn. The random application of dye is not, however, so random that a fixed predetermined amount of dye is not applied over a given length of yarn. Onthe contrary, the belt drive system works togetherwith the supply roller 28 and its associated parts to make possible close control of the amount of dye per unit length of the yarn, thereby making possible close control of the shade of color of the dyed yarn.

sprocket chain. Alternatively, the pulleys 43 can be replaced by gear wheels, and the belt 46 can be replaced by a double sided toothed belt with teeth .for meshing with the gear wheels.

Tension on the belt 46 or its equivalent is achieved by adjusting the position of the motor 44.

The fixation section 21 and the drying section 23 are substantially the same insofar as the basic elements thereof are concerned, and therefore a complete description of the fixation section will be given, and then the differences between the two sections will be described.

As seen from FIGS. 1A and 1B, 2, 3 and 13, the fixation section has a housing 50 within which is housed a yarn carrier 51 and a yarn traverse reel 52. The yarn carrier 51 has a carrier shaft 53 rotatably mounted in the housing 50, and on the shaft 53 are mounted a plurality of radial yarn carrying frames 54, which are generally rectangular'frames having generally radially extending legs 55 and longitudinally extending yarn holding arms 56 extending between the free ends of the legs 55. The legs 55 each have a' radially extending portion 55a and an angled portion 55b at an angle to the radially extending portion, preferably in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the yarn carrier 51. The legs 55 are joined to the yarn holding arms 56 by curved extensions 56a which prevent the yarn from slipping off the ends of the 'yam carrying frames. Mounted on the shaft 53 is a pulley 57 driven from a yarn carrier motor 58 mounted on the frame 30 under the printing section by a belt 59. The yarn traverse reel 52 is substantially the same as the yarn carrier 51 except that the radially extending legs are not bent and are considerably shorter than the legs 55, so that the diameter of the yarn traverse reel 52 is much less than that of the yarn carrier 51. The yarn traverse reel is also mounted on a shaft in the housing 50 for free rotation, being driven by the movement of the yarn therearound in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Within the housing 50 of the fixation section is a steam generating means comprised of a stem generator 60 and a heater 61. The steam generator 60 generates steam, and the heater 61 provides added heat for controlling the temperature of the steam.

In the embodiment shown, two combs 62 are mounted in the housing 50 between the yarn carrier 51 and the traverse reel 52, which combs guide the yarn as it is running between the yarn carrier 51 and the yarn traverse reel 52 so as to guide the yarn in a spiral path along the yarn carrier 51 and the traverse reel 52. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the shafts of the yarn carrier 51 and the yarn traverse reel 52 can be positioned at a slight angle to each other.

In order to control the tension of the yarn in the fixation section, there is provided a tension control dancer arm 63, which is an arm pivotally mounted inside the housing 50 adjacent the entry point of the yarn, and having a hook or loop at the free end thereof through which the yarn runs. The weight of the arm causes the arm to exert tension on the yarn and the pivotal movement of the arm takes up any slack due to changes in the speed of the yarn.

In operation, yarn Y with wet dye thereon from the printing section 20, is fed into the housing 50; preferably through the side toward the'printing section 20 and ,at a level near the bottom of the periphery of the yarn carrier 51, and through the loop or hook on the end of the dancer arm 63. The yarn is then led in a generally spiral path around the yarn carrier 51 and the yarn traverse reel 52 through the combs, and then out of the housing 50. In the actual embodiment of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 3, the yarn is led off the traverse reel 52 in a vertical path out of the top of the housing 50 in order to bring it across the apparatus from the right rear position to the left front of the apparatus. However, it can be led out of the housing in any convenient direction. The steam generator 60 is operated to generate steam and the temperature of the steam is controlled by the heater 61, depending on the type of yarn and other conditions necessary to get good fixation of the dye. The yarn carrier 51 can contract if the yarn should shrink due to the bending of the legs 55.

With this arrangement, a large quantity of yarn can be stored in the fixation section, yet the speed of the yarn through the section can be kept high so as not to require slowing down of the application of dye to the yarn in the printing section.

The drying section 32 differs from the fixation section only in the provision of means for supplying hot air instead of steam generating means. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B and 4, this meansis air blower 80, a heater 81 at the output side of the air blower, and a baffle 82 for deflecting the stream of hot air.

As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, 2 and 4, the washing section, which is positioned on the left front of the apparatus, is comprised of a washing tank 71 with a plurality of sections 71a-7ld in housing 70. Within each tank section is a yarn agitating reel 72 which has a shaft 73 rotatably mounted in the tank 71 and yarn carrying arms 74 mounted on the shaft. The yarn carrying arms 74 are generally the same shape as the arms on the yarn traverse reel 52 in the fixation and drying sections, but not as long in the direction of the shaft 73. Above each tank section 71 is at least one pair of squeeze rolls 75 mounted on shafts in the housing 70, and above the last tank section 71d in the direction of the movement of the yarn is a group of three squeeze rolls 75 arranged in a row to provide two pairs of rolls, the first and second rolls in the row, and the second and third rolls in the row. A washing liquid inlet 76 is provided at the last tank section 71d in the direction of movement of the yarn, and a liquid outlet 77 is provided at the first tank section 71a. It will be seen that fresh washing liquid enters the last tank section 71d and overflows baffles 71e into successive tank sections until it overflows from the first tank section through outlet 77. Yarn Y is thus washed in successively fresher baths.

Drive means are provided for driving the squeeze rolls 75. Each of the shafts on which the squeeze rolls are mounted has a pulley thereon outside of the housing 70, and a squeeze roll drive motor 78 mounted on the frame 30 adjacent the housing 70 is connected to the pulleys by a belt 79 which is wound around the pulleys in a direction to rotate them in the proper directions as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1A and 1B and 4.

Yarn Y from the fixation section is supplied through a guide 7lfto the yarn agitating reel 72 in the first tank section 710, and after passing around this reel is squeezed between the first pair of rolls 75. It passes over the second roll, and around the agitating reel 72 in the second tank section 71b. It passes through successive pairs of squeeze rolls 75 and around successive agitator reels 72 until it reaches the three roll set above the last tank section 71d. It passes between the first and second rolls of this set, over the second roll and between the second and third rolls of the set, thereby being given a double squeeze. From there it is fed to the drying section 23. Motion of the yarn driven by squeeze rolls 75 rotates the yarn agitating reels 72.

Preferably, a dance arm 78 is provided between the fixation section and the washing section to control tension and take up slack due to changes in speed. In the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2-4, this dance arm is mounted on the housing 50 of the drying section above the washing section.

The structure of the agitating reels 72 is such that the yarn is given an agitating movement as it passes through the washing liquid, which makes possible moving the yarn through the washing liquid at high speed with good washing action. It will be seen from FIGS. 1A

' and 1B that when the agitating reels are in a position with two of the radially extending legs on the yarn carrying arms 74 generally horizontal, as in the first tank section 71a in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the portion of the yarn coming downwardly into the tank is spaced from the portion of the yarn moving upwardly out of the tank a distance equal to the diameter of a circle circumscribed about the yarn carrying arms, while when the'yarn carrying arms are at an angular position, as in the second tank section 71b, the portion of the yarn coming downwardly into the tank is spaced from the portion of the yarn moving upwardly out of the tank a distance equal to the diameter of a circle inscribed within the yarn carrying arms. The distance 2d by which these diameters differ causes lateral movement of the portions of the yarn coming into the tank and leaving the tank, each portion being moved laterally by a distance d for each partial rotation of the agitating reel 72. With this arrangement, the yarn is not only moved forwardly through the liquid, but is shaken from side to side. This type of motion prevents the formation of an air pocket around the yarn due to the yarn entraining air as it moves into the liquid at high speed and boring a hole, so to speak, through the liquid.

The embodiment shown in the figures passes only washing liquid from the last tank section through successive tank sections to the first tank. However, the inlet and outlet could be arranged to pass washing liquid only through the first three tank sections, and provide a fixing liquid in the last tank section, or could be arranged to provide any other sequence of washing and other liquid treatment.

In overall operation, yarn Y is fed into the printing section 20 where the successive printing roller means 24 print the dye onto the yarn in nip lengths according to the relationship of the lands and grooves in the backing rollers 26 and the applicator rollers 27. The dyed yarn is then passed into the fixation section 21 under the control of the dancer arm and is passed in a spiral path around the yarn carrier 51 and the yarn traverse reel 52, guided by the combs 62. The legs 55 on the yarn carrying frames 54 bend to accommodate shrinkage of the yarn, as steam supplied from the steam generating means fixes the dye. The yarn is then passed into the washing section 22 where it is washed in successively fresher washing liquid in the tank sections 7la-7ld, while being agitated laterally by the rotating yarn agitating reels 72, the washing liquid being squeezed out of the yarn after each tank section by the squeeze rollers 75 and being given a double squeeze after the last washing. From the washing section, the washed'yarn is passed into the drying section 23 where it is passed around the yarn carrier 51 and yarn traverse reel 52 in the same manner as in the fixation section 21 while being dried by hot air from the blower 80 and heater 81.

Finished yarn can be further treated by means not shown to carry out such process steps as crinkling, bulking, embossing, and coiling into yarn packages.

An alternative form of the printing roller means is shown in FIGS. 8-12. The applicator roll 27 is a plain roller with no lands or grooves, and the supply roller 28 and associated parts are the same as in FIG. 5. The backing roller means, however, is comprised of a gear pulley 90 and an idler pulley 91 spaced from the gear pulley 90, and a gear belt 92 around the pulleys 90 and 91. Special applicator pads 93 are provided which are shown in detail in FIGS. 9 and 10. They are comprised of a pad 94 of a desired length and clip means 95 embedded in the lower surface of the pad which clip around the thinner sections of the belt 92 between the teeth on the inside surface thereof, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. It will be understood that the nip lengths l will correspond to the lengths of the various pads 93 clamped to the belt 92. Since the pads 93 can be clamped to the belt 92 and removed easily, it is a simple matter to change the pads when it is desired to change the pattern of the-nip lengths. The drive for the gear pulley 90, the applicator roller 27 and the supply roller 98 is the same as for the embodiment of FIG. 5.

It will be appreciated that although the foregoing specification talks in terms of yarn in the sense of a single strand of yarn, in practice the printing rollers and squeeze rollers are wide enough so that a plurality of side by side yarns can be handled in the apparatus. It should therefore be understood that when the specification and claims refer to yam it can be taken to refer to a single strand or a plurality of strands.

There has thus been described a method and apparatus for applying dye to yarn in a rapid and accurate manner so as to avoid the pattern effect in the finished product made from the yarn, and yet in a way which makes possible accurate. control of the color of the yarn, whether it be a single color or a pattern of colors.

The method and apparatus make possible the application of thedye at high yarn speeds, yet with good efficiency and control, and the apparatus is simple and compact, and is easy to maintain.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for applying dye to yarn, comprising a printing section having a plurality of printing roller means therein positioned one after another along a yarn path and each comprised of a backing roller means, an applicator roller, and a supply roller, at least one of the backing roller means and the applicator roller being patterned and the backing roller means and the applicator roller engaging yarn moving along the yarn path between them for applying dye to the yarn in a pattern according to the patterned backing roller means and applicator roller, the supply roller being in rolling contact with the applicator roller, dye supply means engaged with the supply roller for supplying dye to the supply roller, and drive means coupled to said backing roller means, applicator rollers and supply rollers for driving said roller means and rollers; a fixation section next along the yarn path and comprising a housing having a yarn carrier rotatably mounted therein comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between the legs, said frames being resilient in the radial direction relative to said shaft, a yarn traverse reel rotatably mounted in said housing generally parallel to and spaced from said yarn carrier and comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of rectangular yarn frames on said shaft having legs extending radially of the shaft and longitudinally extending yarn holding arms extending between the legs, guide means between said yarn carrier and said yarn traverse reel-for guiding yarn in a spiral path around said carrier and reel, carrier drive means coupled to saidyarn carrier for driving said yarn carrier, and a fixation fluid generating means in said housing;-a washing section next along the yarn path and comprised of a washing tank having a plurality of sections therein, a yarn agitating reel in each section, said yarn agitating reel having a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between said legs, at least one pair of squeeze rollers above each washing tank section, and drive means coupled to said squeeze rollers for rotating said squeeze rollers; and a drying section next along the yarn path and comprising a housing having a yarn carrier rotatably mounted therein comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft, each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between the legs, said frames being resilient in the radial direction relative to the shaft, a yarn traverse reel rotatably mounted in said housing generally parallel to and spaced from said yarn carrier and comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of rectangular yam frames on said shaft having legs extending radially of the shaft and longitudinally extending yarn holding arms extending between the legs, guide 'means between said yarn carrier and said yarn traverse reel for guiding yarn in a spiral path around said carrier and said reel, carrier drive means coupled to said yarn carrier for driving said yarn carrier, and a drying gas generating means in said housing.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a backing roller having lands and grooves thereon and said applicator roller is a roller having lands and grooves thereon, the lands on the two rollers being spaced around the rollers so as to be in opposition to each other and nip yarn therebetween during at least part of the rotation of the rollers.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lands and grooves on the rollers are the same dimensions and are spaced around the rollers at the same distances on each roller.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lands and grooves on the rollers have different dimensions.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a backing roller having an unbroken circumferential surface and said applicator roller is a roller having an unbroken circumferential surface.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a belt and a pair of pulleys around which said belt runs, one of said pulleys being opposed to said applicator roller, and pads secured at spaced intervals along said belt.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said pulleys are gear pulleys, and said belt is a gear belt.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said pads have clip means embedded therein for clipping around said belt.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said applicator roller is an engraved roller having a pattern engraved on the surface thereof having a depth proportional to the amount of dye it is desired to apply to the yarn.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said dye supply means comprises a dye supply shoe and doctor having a curved surface conforming generally to the surface of the supply roller and having a recess opening into said curved surface, a dye supply tube extendinginto said recess, a dye supply, and dye pump means for pumping dye from the dye supply means to said dye supply tube.

l 1. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said dye supply is an open topped tank below said rollers for receiving dye falling off the rollers.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10in which said dye supply shoe and doctor is a claw shaped member having one end pivotally mounted on said apparatus, and said member has a doctor blade at the free end thereof which is in wiping engagement with said supply roller.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said drive means for said backing roller means, said applicator rollers and said supply rollers comprises a motor means, pulleys on said backing roller means and said applicator rollers and supply rollers, and a flat belt extending from said motor and in driving engagement with each of said pulleys for driving said backing roller means and said applicator and supply rollers in the proper directions.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said pulleys on opposed pairs of rollers and roller means are slightly different sizes, and said belt is slightly resilient, whereby there can be extension of said belt during the time opposed rollers nip yarn therebetween and the smaller pulley and larger pulley are driven together, after which the belt extends to place the rollers and backing roller means slightly out of rotational relationship as compared with their relationship before the belt extension.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said pulleys and belt are in positive engagement for driving said rollers and backing roller means in fixed rotational relationship.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said fixation section and said drying section each have a tension control dancer arm therein along the yarn path ahead of said yarn carrier, said dancer arm having one end pivoted to said housing and having a yarn engaging means on the other end through which the yarn runs.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said washing section has a three squeeze. roller set above the last washing tank. section in the direction of the yarn movement through the apparatus, the yarn path being between the first two rollers in the set, over the middle roller, and between the last two rollers in the set, whereby the yarn is given a double squeeze after it comes out of the last wash tank section.

maining comer. 

1. An apparatus for applying dye to yarn, comprising a printing section having a plurality of printing roller means therein positioned one after another along a yarn path and each comprised of a backing roller means, an applicator roller, and a supply roller, at least one of the backing roller means and the applicator roller being patterned and the backing roller means and the applicator roller engaging yarn moving along the yarn path between them for applying dye to the yarn in a pattern according to the patterned backing roller means and applicator roller, the supply roller being in rolling contact with the applicator roller, dye supply means engaged with the supply roller for supplying dye to the supply roller, and drive means coupled to said backing roller means, applicator rollers and supply rollers for driving said roller means and rollers; a fixation section next along the yarn path and comprising a housing having a yarn carrier rotatably mounted therein comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between the legs, said frames being resilient in the radial direction relative to said shaft, a yarn traverse reel rotatably mounted in said housing generally parallel to and spaced from said yarn carrier and comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of rectangular yarn frames on said shaft having legs extending radially of the shaft and longitudinally extending yarn holding arms extending between the legs, guide means between said yarn carrier and said yarn traverse reel for guiding yarn in a spiral path around said carrier and reel, carrier drive means coupled to said yarn carrier for driving said yarn carrier, and a fixation fluid generating means in said housing; a washing section next along the yarn path and comprised of a washing tank having a plurality of sections therein, a yarn agitating reel in each section, said yarn agitating reel having a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between said legs, at least one pair of squeeze rollers above each washing tank section, and drive means coupled to said squeeze rollers for rotating said squeeze rollers; and a drying section next along the yarn path and comprising a housing having a yarn carrier rotatably mounted therein comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally rectangular frames on said shaft, each having legs extending radially of the shaft and a longitudinally extending yarn holding arm extending between the legs, said frames being resilient in the radial direction relative to the shaft, a yarn traverse reel rotatably mounted in said housing generally parallel to and spaced from said yarn carrier and comprised of a rotatable shaft and a plurality of rectangular yarn frames on said shaft having legs extending radially of the shaft and longitudinally extending yarn holding arms extending between the legs, guide means between said yarn carrier and said yarn traverse reel for guiding yarn in a spiral path around said carrier and said reel, carrier drive means coupled to said yarn carrier for driving said yarn carrier, and a drying gas generating means in said housing.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a backing roller having lands and grooves thereon and said applicator roller is a roller having lands and grooves thereon, the lands on the two rollers being spaced around the rollers so as to be in opposition to each other and nip yarn therebetween during at least part of the rotation of the rollers.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lands and grooves on the rollers are the same dimensions and are spaced around the rollers at the same distances on each roller.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lands and grooves on the rollers have different dimensions.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a backing roller having an unbroken circumferential surface and said applicator roller is a roller having an unbroken circumferential surface.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said backing roller means is a belt and a pair of pulleys around which said belt runs, one of said pulleys being opposed to said applicator roller, and pads secured at spaced intervals along said belt.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said pulleys are gear pulleys, and said belt is a gear belt.
 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said pads have clip means embedded therein for clipping around said belt.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said applicator roller is an engraved roller having a pattern engraved on the surface thereof having a depth proportional to the amount of dye it is desired to apply to the yarn.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said dye supply means comprises a dye supply shoe and doctor having a curved surface conforming generally to the surface of the supply roller and having a recess opening into said curved surface, a dye supply tube extending into said recess, a dye supply, and dye pump means for pumping dye from the dye supply means to said dye supply tube.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said dye supply is an open topped tank below said rollers for receiving dye falling off the rollers.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said dye supply shoe and doctor is a claw shaped member having one end pivotally mounted on said apparatus, and said member has a doctor blade at the free end thereof which is in wiping engagement with said supply roller.
 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said drive means for said backing roller means, said applicator rollers and said supply rollers comprises a motor means, pulleys on said backing roller means and said applicator rollers and supply rollers, and a flat belt extending from said motor and in driving engagement with each of said pulleys for driving said backing roller means and said applicator and supply rollers in the proper directions.
 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said pulleys on opposed pairs of rollers and roller means are slightly different sizes, and said belt is slightly resilient, whereby there can be extension of said belt during the time opposed rollers nip yarn therebetween and the smaller pulley and larger pulley are driven together, after which the belt extends to place the rollers and backing roller means slightly out of rotational relationship as compared with their relationship before the belt extension.
 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said pulleys and belt are in positive engagement for driving said rollers and backing roller means in fixed rotational relationship.
 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said fixation section and said drying section each have a tension control dancer arm therein along the yarn path ahead of said yarn carrier, said dancer arm having one end pivoted to said housing and having a yarn engaging means on the other end through which the yarn runs.
 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said washing section has a three squeeze roller set above the last washing tank section in the direction of the yarn movement through the apparatus, the yarn path being between the first two rollers in the set, over the middle roller, and between the last two rollers In the set, whereby the yarn is given a double squeeze after it comes out of the last wash tank section.
 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said sections are arranged in a compact arrangement with the printing section on one corner of the apparatus, the fixation section on an adjacent corner, the washing section on a third corner, and the drying section on the remaining corner. 